The North Carolina Division of Public Health announced Tuesday that five recipients will benefit from $1.6 million in federally funded grants for the state’s implementation of the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. The program is a provision of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and seeks to improve health and development outcomes for young at-risk children through evidence-based home visiting programs.
“Home visitation programs are common in other countries, and have been used effectively in the United States to improve children’s health outcomes,” State Health Director Jeffrey Engel, MD, said. “Providing families with support and access to information will create healthier environments for our children, making them better prepared for success in life.”
Grant applications were limited to counties or areas determined to be “high need,” based on premature birth rates, informant mortality rates, domestic violence and other factors.
Community grant recipients include:
- Center for Child and Family Health, Durham
- Gaston County Health Department
- Buncombe County Department of Health
- Toe River Health Department, Mitchell and Yancey Counties
- Northampton County Health Department (serves Northampton, Halifax, Edgecombe and Hertford Counties)
The NC Early Childhood Advisory Council will serve as the state advisory group for the grant program, which will be linked with various state-level early childhood initiatives housed within the Department of Health and Human Services. Also participating will be the NC Head Start Collaborative Office and the NC Partnership for Children.
